Classic Sausage-Herb Cornbread Dressing
By Matthew FairmanPublished on August 6, 2019
Time
2 hours
Yield
Serves 10 to 12
Ingredients
Cornbread
1 ½ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) all-purpose flour 1 ½ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) cornmeal 3 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon table salt 1 ¾ cups whole milk 3 large eggs 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, meltedDressing
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed2 onions, chopped2 green bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and chopped2 celery ribs, chopped1 tablespoon poultry seasoning 2 garlic cloves, minced1 teaspoon table salt 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 3 cups chicken broth 1 cup whole milk 3 large eggs, lightly beaten¾ cup chopped fresh parsley ½ teaspoon pepperBefore You Begin
We developed this recipe using Quaker Yellow Cornmeal.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Spray 13 by 9-inch baking dish with vegetable oil spray.
- Whisk flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Whisk milk, eggs, and melted butter together in second bowl. Whisk milk mixture into flour mixture until just combined. Transfer batter toprepared dish. Bake until cornbread is golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
- While cornbread bakes, melt 2 tablespoons butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage, onions, bell peppers, and celery to skillet and cook until vegetables are softened, about 8 minutes. Add poultry seasoning, garlic, salt, and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer sausage mixture to large bowl.
- Turn out hot cornbread onto rimmed baking sheet and break into small pieces with two forks. (Cooled, crumbled cornbread can be transferred to zipper-lock bag and store at room temperature for up to 24 hours.)
- Transfer crumbled cornbread to bowl with sausage mixture. Add broth, milk, eggs, parsley and pepper and stir to combine. Transfer dressing to now-empty baking dish and spread into even layer (do not pack down). Using side of rubber spatula or wooden spoon, create ridges about ½ inch apart on top of dressing.
- Brush top of dressing with remaining 4 tablespoons melted butter. Bake (with the oven still at 425 degrees) until browned and crisped on top and heated through, about 35 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes and serve.
- At end of step 5, let dressing cool completely (if using hot cornbread). Cover baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours or wrap in additional layer of aluminum foil and freeze for up to 1 month. To serve, thaw overnight in refrigerator if frozen. Proceed with step 6, extending baking time by 15 minutes and covering with foil for final 10 minutes of cooking if top begins to get too dark.
for the cornbread
for the dressing
to make ahead
Time
2 hoursYield
Serves 10 to 12Ingredients
Cornbread
1 ½ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) cornmeal
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon table salt
1 ¾ cups whole milk
3 large eggs
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Dressing
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
2 onions, chopped
2 green bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup whole milk
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
¾ cup chopped fresh parsley
½ teaspoon pepper
Ingredients
Cornbread
1 ½ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) cornmeal
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon table salt
1 ¾ cups whole milk
3 large eggs
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Dressing
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
2 onions, chopped
2 green bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup whole milk
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
¾ cup chopped fresh parsley
½ teaspoon pepper
Ingredients
Cornbread
1 ½ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) cornmeal
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon table salt
1 ¾ cups whole milk
3 large eggs
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Dressing
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
2 onions, chopped
2 green bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup whole milk
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
¾ cup chopped fresh parsley
½ teaspoon pepper
Why This Recipe Works
For a new take on our favorite Thanksgiving side, we looked to wed classic Turkey Day stuffing flavors with a simple Southern-style cornbread dressing, which has a crisp, buttery top and a moist, almost creamy interior. We began by making a simple cornbread using equal parts cornmeal and flour, a touch of sugar, melted butter, eggs, and milk. While the cornbread baked, we sautéed a mix of chopped onions, bell peppers, and celery with rich, porky Italian sausage. After finishing the flavorful sauté with a tablespoon of herby poultry seasoning, we mixed it with our crumbled, warm cornbread and added just enough eggs and savory chicken broth to achieve a cohesive, set dressing. A final brush of melted butter before baking gave the dressing a rich, crisp, golden top.
Before You Begin
We developed this recipe using Quaker Yellow Cornmeal.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Spray 13 by 9-inch baking dish with vegetable oil spray.
- Whisk flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Whisk milk, eggs, and melted butter together in second bowl. Whisk milk mixture into flour mixture until just combined. Transfer batter toprepared dish. Bake until cornbread is golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
- While cornbread bakes, melt 2 tablespoons butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage, onions, bell peppers, and celery to skillet and cook until vegetables are softened, about 8 minutes. Add poultry seasoning, garlic, salt, and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer sausage mixture to large bowl.
- Turn out hot cornbread onto rimmed baking sheet and break into small pieces with two forks. (Cooled, crumbled cornbread can be transferred to zipper-lock bag and store at room temperature for up to 24 hours.)
- Transfer crumbled cornbread to bowl with sausage mixture. Add broth, milk, eggs, parsley and pepper and stir to combine. Transfer dressing to now-empty baking dish and spread into even layer (do not pack down). Using side of rubber spatula or wooden spoon, create ridges about ½ inch apart on top of dressing.
- Brush top of dressing with remaining 4 tablespoons melted butter. Bake (with the oven still at 425 degrees) until browned and crisped on top and heated through, about 35 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes and serve.
- At end of step 5, let dressing cool completely (if using hot cornbread). Cover baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours or wrap in additional layer of aluminum foil and freeze for up to 1 month. To serve, thaw overnight in refrigerator if frozen. Proceed with step 6, extending baking time by 15 minutes and covering with foil for final 10 minutes of cooking if top begins to get too dark.
for the cornbread
for the dressing
to make ahead
Gift This Recipe
Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.
Appears In
Keep Exploring
My Rating
This is a members' feature.
0 Comments